Denture attachment



' wwsm I. STERN I DENTURE ATTACHMENT v Filed Nov. 26, 19 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR I ISIDORE STERN ATTORNEYS I. STERN 7 nmrrunn mmcnmauw Filed Nov. 26, 1926' I 2' Sheets-Sheet z INVENTOR ISIDORE STERN ATTORNEYS Patented Aug. 14, 1928..

tttttit rates nnnrunn ATTACHMENT.

Application filed November as, 1926. Serial No. 150570.

This invention relates broadly to dentistry and more particularly to improvements 1n adjustable denture attachments for use in connection with removable bridge work. I The bridge work to which the invention relates involves primarily a removable bridge adapted to be disposed between two natural teeth, referred to as pier teeth in the dental art, and havinga' denture attachment at either end adapted to be removably secured within a socket or recess in a pier tooth. The denture attachment is secured within the socket by adjustable and/or'resilient means, which takes up for wear occasioned by use or service of thebridge and is capable of adjustment to compensate for such wear.

Each adjustable denture attachment preferably comprises generally two parts, to wit, a support which includes a shank formed on or secured to the bridge and a head unitary therewith upon which a resilient and/or adjustable means is carried for retention in the pier tooth socket.

' The present invention seeks to provide means to removably secure the support to the pier tooth with provision for adjustment in a simple manner, which means is not exposed when the bridge work is in position on the gums. To this end the said means comprises a resilient'element, such as a leaf spring, substantially the length of the head of the support which is'permanently secured to the upper portion of the head as it is inserted in the socket and which is adapted to flex in the bottom of the socket to engage a Wall thereof and retain the support therein. V i r The resilient element, or as it may be called, the adjustable or retaining element,

is secured to the head for approximately the'upper half of its length, the lower portion being freely flexing, so that the dentist may cut away as much as is necessary of the support to cause it to conform to the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. 7

The invention also has for its object the provision of a simple and efficacious manner of securing the adjustable retaining member or spring to the support which will not be afiiected by the removal of portions of the support and/or member in conforming it to the outlines of the teeth. 7 Accordingly solder or other adhesive is availed of whereby everyportion of the parts to be secured togather are intimately joined, Tt desired accom 'ianying drawings and shearing strains. If desired the flanges may be of curvilinear outline to facilitate insertion and removal in the socket.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a denture attachment which shall be practical from the standpoint of ease and simplicity of manufacture and facility in use.

The invention further seeks the provision'of a denture attachment which is substantially reversible, that is, one which is effective whichever end of theshank is uppermost when secured to the bridge work. To this end the resilient retaining element or adjustable leaf spring is secured to the head between its ends so that either end will function efficiently, that is flex to retain the support in the pier tooth socket although the uppermost end may be cut off and made to conform to the occlusal surfaces of the teeth. This constuction is also advantageous due to the two springs involved as the retaining pressure against the walls of the pier tooth socket is proportionately increased.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will be more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein Sheet 1 shows one form of the invention and Sheet 2 shows a modified form, in which: Figure 1 is a view, in perspective showing bridge work mounted between spaced natural teeth by means ofthe adjustable denture attachment according to the present invention.

Figures 2, 3, and i are views showing the denture attachment with the resilient means removed, looking from above, from the rear and side elevation, respectively.

Figure 5 is a view, in perspective, showing the resilient means for retaining the denture attachment in the pier tooth socket.

Figure 6 is a view of the denture attachment looking from above and showing the spring met, and head in led relation,

ire

modified form. f Referring to Figure 1 for a general understanding of the invention, a dental bridge B, representing,

Figure 7 is a view, in front elevation, of the denture attachment showing the adustablesprmg 1Il position.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal sectional view, taken in the plane indicated by the line 88 in Figure 6, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing the adjustment of the spring. 7 i

Figure 9 is a view of the denture attachment in rear elevation. j

Figure 10isan exploded view in perspective, showing the denture attachment.

Figures 11, 12 and 13, are views similar to Figures 2, 3 and 1 respectively, showing a modification of the denture attachment.

. Figure 1 1 is a perspective view of a modilied form of resilient adjustable securing means. Y Figure 1s a view of the modified denture attachment looking from above andshowing the adjustable means and head 1n assembled relation. 1 I

Figure 16 is a view, in front elevation,

showing the modified denture attachment.

Figure 17 is a side view of the same showing'the adjustable resilient means in operative position. 7

Figure 18 is a view in rear elevation of the modified fornrofdenturo attachment.

igure 19 is an exploded view, in perspective, showing the denture attachment in 1ts in this instance, one artificial tooth, is shown disposedbetween a pair of spaced natural teeth, P, P, growing in the gum G, designated, in the dental art, pier teeth. The bridge B, includes a saddle S, say of gold or other suitable material, of any suitable form and serving as a permanent and rigid anchora e for the denture attachment form ng the subject matter of the present invention. p r

.The pier teeth P are provided with inlays L of gold or other suitable substance within which are formed sockets or recesses 11 to receive the heads 12 integrally included with the shanks 13 of the respective denture attachments or supports Dwhic h thus have a T-shapedcross sectional area when considered in a normally horizontalplane. These inlays L with the recesses 11 formed therein may be consideredand referred to as socket receptacles, or separate socket receptacles adapted to receive the T-shaped dentures or the sockets 11, they willbe retained therein and the bridge supported in desired relation to the natural teeth, as shown. '1he resilient means 16 preferably takes the form of a 7 spring, say a leaf springer a resilient plate,

which is adjustable to press against the walls of the recess 11 and retain the denture at tachment D against accidental displacement.

In the illustrated embodiment the anchorage shank 13 is of rectangular form adapted to be embedded inthesaddle S andhas integral therewith a head 12. On both edges of the head along the lowermost portion thereof, sayr the bottomhalf of thehead the edges are formed with semi-cylindrical flanges 141 which form walls for that portion of the face 15 and define what may be termed a groove. This groove may beconsidered as formed within a portion of the head of increased thickness, i. e. a thickness equii' alent to the thicknessof the flanges, and the marginal surface of this portion of increased thickness is disposed in a. plane parallel to the marginal surface of that portion of the head 12 which 15 without flanges. Between these wallsl iis disposeda springmeans of the present invention.

Cooperating W1 th the head 12 1s a resilient device orsprmg 16 preferably formed as a flat-plate of substantially tlIG SlZG of the face 15 and havingalong its upper edges adjacent approximately the upper half there of, semi-cylindrical beads or-walls 17 corresponding to the flanges 14L. 7

Upon assembly, the front face 18 of the platespring16 is adapted to engage the face. 15 of the head 12 with'the flangesl'? engaging approximately the upper halves of the edges 19 ofthe head 12, while the lower portion 16 of the spring lies between the fflanges 14 of the head. f

The upper portions. of the contacting faces 15 and 18, that is, those portions between the flanges '17 are caused to permanently adhere by a-gsolder or other adhesive 20 (Figure 6; and as shown by stipplingin Figure 10. .Thus the upper portion "of the springlfi is caused to be rigidly and permanently secured to the head 12 andevery pertion of the enacting surfaces are securedtm Q6ill1(31,tl16; flanges 17 contributing to the rigidity of the connection as will be ap parent.

.The lower portion the sprin e -16 is free to'flcx in the channel formed by the flanges 14; on the head 12," Thisportion 16 V V forms'the adjustable resil ent-secur ng means for the denture attachment D in the socket 11. By the insertion of a tool or other .in-

strument between the' freely flexing spring spring end may be deflected outwardlyor set as shown 1n dotted lines in Figure'l so thatupon insertion in thesocket 11 the outwardly deflectedispring end 16 will engage end 16 and the face 15 on'the head 12 the r i The rounded surfaces of the flanges 14- attachment in the slightly less than the transverse width of the 80 .between the ends thereof.

7 including the top portion 16 against a wall of the-socket and frictionally retain the denture attachment, and hence the bridge, against-displacement.

and 17 form a continuous curvilinear edge which facilitates the insertion of the denture of the deflected spring which is convenient in insertingth'e denture attachment in the pier tooth, 1

As viewed in Figure 7, the transverse dimension of the flexing spring leaf 16 is face between the flanges 14 to afford a clearance 21at each side for freedom of movement of the spring.

According to the modification described the effective portion ofthe spring 1 6 disposed at the lower portion of the denture attachment D and is thus in the bottom of the socket 11 when inserted in the pier tooth P. The upper half 16 of the spring leaf is ineffective as -a resilient device, being utilized, according to this modification, solely as an adhering or securing portion. Thus the dentist may freely'cut away the upper portion ofthe denture attachment, in-

of the spring, to conform it to the occlusal surfaces of the teeth without affecting theoperativeness of the spring as a resilient retaining device.

Figures 11 through 19 illustrate a modification of the denture support wherein the shank 13 for anchoring to the saddle S is similar to that already described.

According to this modification, the head 12 is provided with flanges 114, preferably outwardly semi-cylindrical, extendingsubstantially the entire length of the vertical edges thereof as viewed in Figure 19, but interrupted by recesses or cut away portions The recesses extend substantially through the thickness of the flanges 114, and, in eflect, divide the said flanges into two longitudinally spaced flanges 114; and 114t I The modified adjustablemeans for securing the support I) within a pier tooth socket comprises a rectangular resilient plate 116 adapted to lie within'the walls or flanges 114 and contact with the surface 115 on the head. Both ends of the plate 116 are adapted to flex, in this modification, between the walls 114': and to this end a portion between the ends thereofis adhesive to a solder interposed between the portion 1200a face 115 and the corresponding portion on the plate 116; Thus a pair of resilient wings is formed which may be individually deflected outwardly so as to yieldingly engage the walls of the socket. V

socket and simplifies the- To further fasten the plate spring 116 against displacement and counteract shear the adjustable member 116 is provided with a pair of lugs 117, adjacent the portion adhesive to solder and adapted to enter the recesses 30 and be soldered therein if desired. These lugs are preferably of curvilinear out line to continue the outer marginal surfaces of the walls 114.

Inthe modified construction a tool may be'inserted between the head and either or both wings 116, 116 to deflect them outwardly away from the face 115 a distance suflicient to cause them to yieldingly bear against the walls of the pier tooth socket when inserted.

The modified structure as described is reversible, that is, either end may be uppermost when anchored on the bridge saddle and whichever end is uppermost may be whittled away by the dentist in conforming the support D to the occlusal surfaces'of the teeth without affecting the adequacy of the fastening within the socket. The modification has an advantage in some situations since two resilient wings are provided which may bear with equal intensity or with proportional effect on the walls of the socket. Various modifications may be made in the configuration and composition of the resilient retaining means associated with the denture attachment and in the cooperating flanges thereon as well as inthe application of the denture attachment as a whole and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of the foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying drawings except as set forth in the appended claims.

i Vhat I claim is:

1. In a denture attachment, a T-shaped support having a head, flanges carried with the head along opposite sides thereof, a leaf spring, flanges carried with the spring to overlie the sides of the head, and means to secure the leaf spring to the head to flex between the first named flanges.

2. In a denture attachment, a T-shaped support having a head, flanges carried with the head along opposite sides for approximately half the length thereof, a leaf spring, flanges carried with the spring tov overlie the sides of the head for the remainder of its length and means to secure the spring to the head between the last named flanges.

3. In a denture attachment, a support hav ing a head formed with a face comprising two portions having corresponding marginal surfaces lying in two parallel planes, one portion being formedwith a groove having its bottom surface in the plane of. the marginal surface of the other portion, adjustable means disposed in the groove and means to secure theadjustable means to the surface of the other portion.

at. In a denture attachment, 9. support having a head formed with a face comprisling two portions having correspondingom'arallel planes,

ginal surfaces lying respectively in two parone portion belng formed wlth a groove havlng 1ts bottom surfaceni the I planeof the marginal surface ofthe other .Vwith a face comprising corresponding marginal surfaces lying re-V portion, adjustable securing means formed two portions having speotively. in two parallel planes, oneqportion loeing formed with a groove having its bottom substantially in the plane of the -ina'rginal surface of the other portion, the un rooved face 'otthe securingmeans lying inithe grooved face of the head andthe ungroovedlface of the head lying in the face, ofathe securing means.

denture attachment for removable work comprising a T-shaped 'sup secured to the grooved 5. A bridge port havlng a shank to be bridge and flanges carried by the head along opposite sides for approximately half its length, a

leaf spring, flanges carried with'the leaf edges to overlie the remainder of the sidesfot the:heacl,fand

spring along opposite a head for insertion in the socket, 

